Cape Town — Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, has been urged by the Rise Mzansi Youth to urgently address the student accommodation crisis at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).
The university provided emergency accommodation to students who are currently struggling to find accommodation ahead of the new academic year. These students have been sleeping in a multipurpose hall without mattresses or other furniture. A viral video on social media showed CPUT security forcefully removing students from its premises in Bellville on Tuesday.
CPUT
students are being kicked out of residence. What’s going on? pic.twitter.com/sgfEaqqfrh
— 🍎 Jenna 🇿🇦 🇷🇺 🇵🇸 (@jenna_original) February 14, 2024
According to Satori News, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme’s (NSFAS) is at the heart of the chaos after their failed accommodation pilot project. The new project sought to credit landlord loggings from the universities directly to NSFAS, but landlord frees and obtaining unnecessary documents has left 5 000 students without accommodation.
As the university grapples with the immediate need to accommodate displaced students, CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley highlights their efforts to place students in alternative lodgings. Yet, these attempts are hindered by disruptive influences from certain student groups, who persuade qualifying students to reject available housing options.
In response, the newly established youth party said that hundreds of students across the country’s tertiary institutions were stranded without shelter. According to the party, the lack of urgency from NSFAS and Nzimande was deeply disturbing, party spokesperson, Lawrence Manaka, said, EWN reported.
“As Rise Mzansi, we assessed the crisis at CPUT. We have discovered that students remain without shelter despite the pleas of the affiliated structures, including a memorandum that’s been sent. What is of great concern with Rise Mzansi is the attitude of the management, who according to the affected students, informally communicated that individuals identified as trouble makers.”
The @RiseMzansiYouth is calling on Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande to urgently address the crisis of campus accommodation at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).#WeNeedNewLeaders#ForThePeopleByThePeople https://t.co/ujNe38U6oA
— RISE Mzansi (@Rise_Mzansi) February 16, 2024
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/@SimplyCowboy
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Matthew Petersen
